Greenwood Village vote to allow denser development fails in special election

DENVER BUSINESS JOURNAL - A ballot measure in a special election in Greenwood Village that would have allowed for taller buildings and denser development in the area surrounding Orchard Station failed Tuesday night.

6,092 of Greenwood Village's approximately 15,000 residents voted in Tuesday's election, with 1,479 voting in favor of the ballot measure and 4,613 against, according to results posted by the city.

The Greenwood Village City Council approved changes to the long-debated Orchard Station Subarea Plan, but referred the final decision to voters after residents and former members of the city's council and planning commission raised concerns about the impact of the changes.

A "yes" vote would have allowed for denser development in the 44-acre area around Orchard Station, which sits just west of I-25 and serves as a hub for several of RTD's light rail lines. Local developer Alberta Development Partners LLC submitted a plan last summer to develop 25 of those acres into office, retail and both for-rent and for-sale housing, but then quickly withdrew it, citing the need to collect more resident input before moving forward.